Abbas to confront militant leaders

Mahmoud Abbas is to demand today that militant leaders stop their attacks on Israelis, after the Palestinian president's Fatah movement declared a state of emergency for Palestinian security forces.

Mr Abbas is to confront militant leaders in the Gaza Strip in a bid to curb the violence. He will tell militant leaders that "there is only one Palestinian Authority and one leadership, and [he] will not accept any measures that can subject our national project to danger," cabinet secretary Hassan Abu Libdeh said.

Late last night, Fatah's central committee announced the state of emergency and accused the militant group Hamas of violating the fragile truce agreed on Tuesday between Mr Abbas and Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

The crackdown on militancy follows a sustained rocket and mortar barrage on Jewish settlements yesterday that threatened to unravel the ceasefire just days after it was announced.

"We are still committed to the language of dialogue, but at the same time, we warn against continuation of these irresponsible actions," Fatah's leadership said in a statement.

"The Palestinian Authority will not tolerate any actions that will sabotage the agreement reached with Israelis on a mutual ceasefire," Mr Abu Libdeh said.

As part of his efforts to end the violence, Mr Abbas yesterday sacked the chief of public security in the occupied territories, the security commander in southern Gaza and the head of the Palestinian police force. In total, he dismissed about 20 senior security officers.

Israel praised Mr Abbas's swift actions, but said it had limited patience before it would take matters into its own hands.

Israel's deputy defence minister Zeev Boim called on the Palestinian leader to take tougher action against the militants, saying the "window of opportunity is closing".

"We still have a policy of restraint and civil gestures in order to strengthen him [Abbas], but it must be remembered this won't last forever. He has to take action," Mr Boim told Israel Radio today.

Despite the renewed tension, Palestinian and Israeli officers met last night at a Gaza crossing point to discuss cooperation. Israel Radio reported that the Israelis had demanded a halt to the mortar and rocket fire, and the Palestinians had spelled out their security plans.

Hamas claimed responsibility yesterday for salvos aimed at two settlements in southern Gaza. With 30 mortars and 26 rockets, it amounted to one of the biggest barrages in four years of violence. However, the military said there were no casualties.

Hamas said the barrage was retaliation for the death of two Palestinians on Wednesday. One blew himself up with a bomb he was apparently trying to plant, and the other was shot dead by soldiers as he approached a settlement.

Palestinian MP Ziad Abu Zayyad said Hamas was probably trying to strengthen its political position with the heavy bombardment. He said Israel must continue to show restraint.

"Israel has to refrain from any actions that could ignite the ground, that could be used as an excuse to torpedo the actions being taken by the Palestinian leadership," Mr Abu Zayyad told Israel's Army Radio.

In the wake of the barrages, Israel's defence minister Shaul Mofaz warned: "If the Palestinians don't know how to deal with it, we shall do it."

Yesterday, armed Palestinians stormed the main Palestinian jail in Gaza, killing three prisoners, as part of a clan feud. Mr Abbas took that as another affront to his authority.

"These are very dangerous developments and they violate the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority," Mr Abu Libdeh said. "No one can continue with these violations."

At Tuesday's summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas declared an end to all violence and military operations.

Mr Abbas said all Palestinian groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, had signed up to the truce, although the leaders of these two groups deny this.

Up to now, Mr Abbas has insisted he will not confront the militant groups and disarm them, as Israel and the internationally backed 'road map' peace plan demand, preferring negotiations.

· An imam allied with the militant Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr today condemned this week's Middle East summit in Egypt, urging Arab leaders not to walk "hand in hand" with Zionists.

"This is the message of the leader, al-Sadr," imam Hashim Abu Ragheef told worshippers at a Shiite mosque in Kufa near the holy city of Najaf.

He said Mr Sadr's movement "calls on the Arab people to stand up to these events and not walk hand in hand with Zionists who killed the Palestinian people".

Mr Sadr's movement launched two uprisings last year against US-led forces after they tried unsuccessfully to arrest him.